Out of an abundance of caution and with assistance from the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, students living in the dorms will be required to get tested once a month to help limit the transmission of COVID-19.
Last month, students living in the dorms received an email explaining how to get COVID-19 tested on campus and the various due dates for each test. On Sept. 30, students received another email reminding students that the mandatory testing started on the same day.
“Approximately a quarter of our housing residents will be required to test each week, with each student testing monthly,” said Corey Colonna, executive director of housing residential life and auxiliaries. “We divided our residential students into groups organized alphabetically by their last names. Students may test on or off-campus, and upload their results into an online form.”
Some students have questioned the decision and its timeliness. Clarissa Peña, a first-year political science major, wonders why the testing is now, especially since the students in the dorms had to get vaccinated prior to moving in.
“I’m annoyed because why are they making the vaccine [testing] mandatory?” she said. “I am kinda glad that they are doing it, but why once a month? COVID could hit you every three days. I think we should get tested maybe once a week.”
If students do not get their required monthly COVID-19 test during their scheduled time, there can be some repercussions, Colonna said.
“We will be tracking testing and results with the help of Student Health Services. If students refuse to test, they may be referred to student conduct for discipline,” she said. “This fall, our residents signed a supplemental COVID-Related License Addendum in which they agreed to any COVID-19-related changes to policy and procedures. That document enumerated that failure to follow health guidelines can result in removal from campus.”
To meet her monthly requirement, Peña is using the on-campus COVID-19 testing option. Students can either schedule an appointment online or do a walk-in.
“It was very organized. I had to confirm all my information at the entrance and confirm it again at another table,” Peña said. Then they gave me the supplies and sent me to a table where a nurse could help guide and instruct me on how to do the nasal test.”
Students looking for testing options on-campus students are able to make appointments through Fulgent Genetics online.